Foreigners among those injured in Belgrade derby brawl

Serbia's interior ministry announced the arrests in a statement issued on Thursday. It said that several foreign nationals were involved in the brawl, which broke out late in the first half of Wednesday's 1-1 draw between the hosts, Partizan, and visiting Red Star.

The interior ministry declined to mention which countries the foreigners were from, but Serbian news website B92 reported that they are thought to have come from Croatia, Greece and Macedonia.

Clashes between fans of the bitter rivals are common at Belgrade derbies, but this one is reported to have broken out between members of two rival Partizan supporters' groups. At least 20 people were hurt in the fighting, some having suffered head injuries or burns from torches. Some were stripped naked before police wielding batons intervened to end the fighting.

Following Wednesday's draw, Red Star remain top of the Serbian SuperLiga, nine points ahead of Partizan, who are in second place.

pfd/dv (AP, AFP)